tipstohelp conserve electricity · evaporative cooler for 5 months rather than your air conditioner...
TRANSCRIPT
Tips To HelpConserve
Electricity
A N D R E D U C E Y O U R P O W E R B I L L
Nobody wants to pay morethan necessary for power!But a lot of us do. And that hurts
when you live in a place with
warm summers and cold winters
like Big Bear.
Bear Valley Electric Servicewants to help you keep yourpower costs down.This booklet is full of tips to help cut
your power bill. Some ways
to save are as simple and cheap as
turning off the light switch. Other
ideas are more costly or need you to
do some work or hire a contractor,
such as buying a new air conditioner
or insulating your home.
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Cut Your Power BillCut Your Power Bill
Where The Money GoesTo better understand the possibilities
for saving money, it helps to look at
the big picture. If you divide every
dollar spent to show what each
component of power usage costs,
this is what the breakdown would
look like. Just think how much money
you could save by cutting your
cooling costs by 20 percent!
Bear Valley’s RoleYou might wonder why a utility that
sells power would want to help you
cut your power bill. That’s easy. As a
community based utility, BVES is in
the business of providing its
customers with the best service at the
lowest possible cost. The largest part
of your energy price includes the
costs of producing and delivering
power to you.
By helping you keep your power use
down, especially in the hottest or
coldest part of the day, BVES can
reduce the amount of expensive peak
power it must buy. And that saves
everybody money.
= Bear Valley Energy Saving Tip
= The Symbol For Energy Efficiency
IntroductionIntroduction
01
b
a. lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10%
b. heating and air conditioning . .28%
c. cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5%
d. refrigeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27%
e. major appliances . . . . . . . . . . .7%
f. entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . .11%
g. small appliances . . . . . . . . . . .12%
Since more than half of your energy
costs are for heating and cooling, a
little insulation could go a long way
toward lowering your energy bill.
Should you insulate your home?
You may consider it if you have an
older home with little or no
insulation and if:
• Your energy bills are high.
• You are uncomfortably cold in the
winter and hot in the summer.
• You are adding an addition to your
home. (It’s easier and cheaper to
do now than later).
But give the project careful
consideration, it could be expensive.
Should you do it yourself or hire a
contractor?
This decision depends on several
factors. Often a careful homeowner
can install insulation batts or
poured-in insulation in attic floors,
basements, new or open walls and
crawl spaces. Blown-in and sprayed-
in insulation as well as adding
insulation to a mobile home are best
left to the professional installer.
If you’re going to do it yourself,
carefully follow the manufacturer’s
instructions and take the precautions
recommended.
Install minimum R-19 rated attic
insulation (R-38 is recommended)
and minimum R-11 rated floor
insulation (5-19 is recommended).
Check the ENERGY STAR® web site for
more details about insulation at
http://www.epa.gov/appdstar/insula
tion/index.html.
InsulationInsulation
02
Windows
A lot of heating and cooling can go
right out the window if you’re not
careful. Fortunately, there are many
ways to reduce this.
Use awnings, solar screens or plant
shade trees around the exterior of
your home. Indoor decorative
shading provides insulation as well,
but is less effective. The key is
stopping the UV rays before they hit
your windowpanes.
Installing ENERGY STAR®
windows and skylights can also
reduce energy loss, knock 15 percent
off your cooling costs and make your
home more comfortable. These
products are twice as efficient as
the average windows manufactured
just 10 years ago.
By virtue of their design
ENERGY STAR® windows help
eliminate drafts and resist
condensation. Also, low-e coated
glass, found in many ENERGY STAR®
products, can reduce harmful UV
rays by up to 75 percent.
Doors
Drafty doors can send heating and
cooling bills through the roof.
b An easy way to prevent
energy loss here is to maintain
good weather stripping. Also, check
to make sure there is a good seal
between the weather stripping and
the door. Check doors for cracks
around the frame and repair and
replace when necessary.
If you are installing a new
door, look for the ENERGY STAR®
label. They are 40 percent more
efficient than products required
under most common building codes.
Windows & DoorsWindows & Doors
03
About 20 percent of a power bill in a
home goes toward heating water. There
are a lot of ways to cut the cost of
heating water, including buying a high-
efficiency water heater. But you don’t
have to go as far as buying a new water
heater to save big money.
b A leaky hot water faucet can cause
your water heater to waste a lot of
energy. A leak of one drip per second
can cost $1 or more per month and bigger
leaks can raise that loss substantially.
To see the potential for savings on the
cost of energy to heat water it helps to
understand how much hot water a
family uses in a day. A typical family
uses 60 to 80 gallons of hot water a
day. Here’s where the hot water goes:
Tub bath . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15 gallons
Shower (under 5 minutes) . . . 8-12 gallons
Automatic washer . . . . . 25-30 gallons
Automatic dishwasher . . . 11-16 gallons
Hand-washing dishes . . . 9-14 gallons
Cleaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8 gallons
Food preparations . . . . . . . . 5 gallons
There are plenty of ways to savemoney on heating water. Forinstance, you can:
b Put an insulating wrap on your water
heater if it’s an older model to reduce
your heat loss. And insulate the pipes
going into and out of the tank.
b Take five-minute showers instead
of baths, to use a lot less hot water.
And install a low-flow showerhead,
which can reduce water use by 50
to 70 percent.
b Set the temperature on your water
heater at 120 degrees, unless you have
an older automatic dishwasher that
requires water heated to 140 degrees.
b Wash clothes in the coolest water
possible. Rinse clothes in cold water.
And wash clothes only when you have
a full load.
b Turn off power to your water
heater when you are away for more
than a weekend.
If you have questions about water
heaters contact BVES at www.bves.com
or you can call (909) 866-4678 or
toll-free (800) 808-BVES.
Water HeatersWater Heaters
04
Turning on an air conditioner isthe most effective and also the mostexpensive way to cool your home.Fortunately, there are other lessexpensive ways to make summermore bearable. Portable fans, ceilingfans and evaporative coolers can goa long way toward keeping yourhome cool at a fraction of the costof an air conditioner.
Portable fansb Use a portable fan as the cheapestway to keep cool. Fans cool byevaporating the moisture from yourskin. Because they are portable theycan easily be moved to meet yourfamily's needs.
Ceiling Fansb Use a ceiling fan as anotherinexpensive means of cooling yourselfin your home and get a decorative itemas well. Like portable fans, ceiling unitsmove the air across the perspiration onyour skin, causing it to evaporate andcool you.
Remember that fans do not cool homes,only people, so if you're in a room witha fan, turn it on, but remember to turnit off when leaving the room.
b By using fans you can also raise yourthermostat 2-3 degrees, lower yourpower bill and remain cool.
Evaporative Coolersb Use an evaporative cooler to reducethe need for your air conditioner.Evaporative coolers cool and humidifyby blowing air across wet pads.Evaporative coolers cost less to operateand run than an air conditioner.
b Evaporative coolers work best inwarm, dry weather, so you may stillwant to use your air conditioner onhumid days. By using an evaporativecooler, you may be able to cut the useof your air conditioner from five or sixmonths a year to just two. Using anevaporative cooler for 5 months ratherthan your air conditioner can save $100to $120 on your annual electric bill.
By using fans and an evaporative coolerto supplement your air conditioner youcan save money and extend the life ofyour air conditioner.
b Make sure fans and evaporativecoolers are properly maintained to keepthem operating most efficiently and toextend their lives.
Fans & CoolersFans & Coolers
05
The thermostat is the heart of your
heating and cooling system. It
turns your air conditioner and/or
furnace on or off when indoor
temperatures change.
A key factor to cutting your cooling
costs is a properly set unit. Many
are manually set, but new models
can be programmed automatically,
and have better efficiency.
b BVES recommends setting your unitat 78 degrees or higher during thesummer and at 68 degrees or lowerin the winter.
ENERGY STAR® has labeled a
number of programmable models
that can shave up to 20 to 30
percent off your power bill. To get a
list of models, check the EPA website
at: http://www.epa.gov/
appdstar/hvac/prodthem.html.
Make sure your unit is placed
between 2 to 5 feet above the floor.
Avoid placing unit on outside walls,
near outside doors or bedrooms
where windows may be left open.
Do not place near cooling or heating
outlets, behind doors, on walls that
receive heat from the sun or fireplace
or on walls that house cooling or
heating pipes, ducts or chimneys.
Avoid placing close to furniture.
Lamps, TVs or radios under a unit
will give false readings.
Set your unit at a conservation
level and maintain that level while
the home is occupied. When vacant,
raise the setting 10 to 15 degrees
in the summer to avoid
unnecessary cooling.
Working families can really save
using a programmable thermostat.
They are easy to use and can be
programmed to automatically
change temperature settings at
different times, depending on
your cooling needs.
Thermostatic ControlsThermostatic Controls
06
When it comes to your power bill,no one wants to be left in the dark.Unfortunately, many of us addunnecessary expense to our powerbills because of the way we lightour homes.
More than 80 percent of our perceptionof the world is based on what we see.Unless you are an owl, you don't see allthat well in the dark. Light is actuallyvital for most tasks we do as well asmaintaining safety. Having enough lightcan actually make you more productive.
The problem is that the standardincandescent bulbs most of us use arenot very efficient. Just 10 percent of theenergy used by standard bulbs is used toproduce light. The other 90 percent iswasted as heat. Believe it or not,incandescent bulbs are hot enough tofry an egg!
Thanks to new technology, there is nowan alternative.
Use ENERGY STAR®-qualified
compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). CFLs
produce as much light as incandescent
bulbs, but at a much cooler temperature.
That means a CFL uses 75 percent less
energy than an incandescent bulb and
lasts up to 10 times longer. And CFLs can
be used almost anywhere a standard
incandescent bulb is used, including
lamps, recessed lighting fixtures and
enclosed outdoor fixtures.
Even without changing every bulb inyour house, there are several ways you
can cut the amount of energy needed tolight your home.
Turn off outdoor lighting during the day.
Consider installing timer switches orphotoelectric controls to controloutdoor lighting.
For more light, use one large bulbinstead of several smaller ones. A 100-watt bulb produces more light with lessenergy than two 60-watt bulbs.
Put floor lamps and hanging lamps incorners. Reflections off the walls will giveyou more light.
And don't forget to turn off all lights,televisions, stereos, computers andradios when no one will be in the room.
LightingLighting
07
Central air conditioners and roomair conditioners are great for thehot summer months, but poorlymaintained units can increaseenergy and repair costs.
Service your air conditioner regularly.Improper maintenance can beresponsible for 80 percent of majorrepairs and result in high coolingcosts as well.
Service your air conditioner annuallybefore each cooling season.Some of the simple things you may beable to do yourself – like cleaning orreplacing the filter monthly duringthe cooling season – but you shouldhave a contractor conduct an annualcomprehensive maintenance checkthat includes:
• Washing condenser coils and checking fan condition
• Inspecting and cleaning the condenser fan blades
• Lubricating condenser andblower fan and motor bearings
• Checking refrigerant charge
• Inspecting and cleaning blowerfan blades and evaporator coils
• Cleaning the condensate drain pan.
• Checking and clearing thecondensor drain line
• Inspecting unit wiring andelectrical disconnect
• Checking temperature and pressures
• Calibrating the thermostat
Additional ways to cut your cooling bill:
Close windows and doors when theunit is running
Use portable and ceiling fans andraise your thermostat 2-3 degrees
Reduce kitchen heat in summer byusing a microwave, crockpot,or barbecue
If you are replacing an existingA/C, replace it with a high efficiencyENERGY STAR rated unit.
CHOOSE AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT UNIT
Efficiency and the ENERGY STARlogo are important factors. Look for theENERGY STAR logo and the unit’sSeasonal Energy Efficiency Rating(SEER). Over time, the investment in anenergy efficient unit will be paid backwith energy savings.
To get a list of ENERGY STARlabeled A/C’s and SEER ratings, checkthe EPA’s ENERGY STAR website at:http://www.epa.gov.appdstar/hvac/.
Air ConditionersAir Conditioners
08
Once you get the hang of it, you
will find all kinds of ways to cut
your power costs.
For instance:
1. b Clean the coils on your
refrigerator every three months.
The condenser will run better and
need less energy to keep the food
cold. Use a coil brush to avoid
damaging the coil with a vacuum.
2. Install an ENERGY
STAR refrigerator.
3. b Clean dryer lint filters
each load.
4. Try to wash your clothes
after 7pm in the evening.
5. b Use an evaporative cooler to
reduce air conditioner use.
6. Installing ENERGY STAR
windows can save up to 15
percent on your heating and
cooling costs.
7. b Planting shrubs and trees to
shade your home can keep inside
temperatures down and reduce air
conditioner usage.
8. Do the no-cost/low-cost
measures first.
Other Ways To SaveOther Ways To Save
09
For complete information on the Energy Star®
Energy Efficiency Program, please contact our
business office at (909) 866-4678, or go online to:
www.energystar.gov
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